# Punch cutter vs. Guillotine cutter vs. Cigar scissor?



## Belligerent_Cupcake (Oct 6, 2011)

I'm new here and I'd like some opinions. I'm just getting into cigars and still have lots to learn.

My hubby has a couple of guillotine cutters, including an Xi2. While they cut the cigar, they seem a little messy and it's more difficult to get a perfectly aligned cut than I'd like it to be... Maybe I'm a little OCD. lol Anyhow, I'm considering trying a punch cutter but the only place I've seen it used is on YouTube. lol 

What's your favorite cutter style, and why?


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## COYOTE JLR (Sep 21, 2009)

Guillotine is definitely my favorite. I've never been impressed with punch cutters, and it's been my personal experience that it's far easier to damage a cigar while using a punch. I've never used scissors, but they're something I've considered getting for a while now.


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## ejgarnut (Sep 28, 2009)

unless its a large rg (or too small rg), i use a punch on everything except pointy cigars

then if the draw is too tight i will use the cutter

i havent used sissors, so dont know how well they do. would assume about same as a guillotene


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## Nwinner (Oct 7, 2011)

I just got a Xikar guillotine cutter and that thing feels like butter. I also have a punch and scissors, but my guillotine is by far my favorite since the quality blows the other two away.

I plan to get a V-cutter as well since I do like how the notch feels and the draw is in between a cut and a punch.


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## Belligerent_Cupcake (Oct 6, 2011)

Nwinner said:


> I just got a Xikar guillotine cutter and that thing feels like butter. I also have a punch and scissors, but my guillotine is by far my favorite since the quality blows the other two away.
> 
> I plan to get a V-cutter as well since I do like how the notch feels and the draw is in between a cut and a punch.


I like a tighter draw on my cigars, so in theory, a punch cutter should give a tighter draw than a guillotine, hm? Very interesting...


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## CALIFORNIA KID (Nov 21, 2010)

Xikar 009 is my primary cutter

if I can't cut with that (for torpedo of belicoso) I will use a straight cut

but my preference is defiantly a punch

this is the cutter I really want

I have used one a dozen or so times and loved it

Davidoff Round Cigar Cutter Saphire Glass Black - dav090282


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## Hinson (May 11, 2011)

I prefer punch, I just use the punch on the bottom of my Xikar lighter.


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## Belligerent_Cupcake (Oct 6, 2011)

CALIFORNIA KID said:


> Xikar 009 is my primary cutter
> 
> if I can't cut with that (for torpedo of belicoso) I will use a straight cut
> 
> ...


Damn... I had no idea cutters could get that fancy and expensive!


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## CALIFORNIA KID (Nov 21, 2010)

Belligerent_Cupcake said:


> Damn... I had no idea cutters could get that fancy and expensive!


my recommendation is this

XIKAR | Xi 009 Punch

they show up on cigar monster for $20 pretty often


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## Tan18_01 (Jun 2, 2011)

I tend to use a punch cutter. 
I would opt for a smaller vs large punch, as I could always punch again to open it up.

The reason I use punch cutters now, is that the cut is the same size every time.

I love V cuts, but more specifically the V cut from a Boston cutter. I just cant justify the cost.
I use guillotine for all my torps.


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

I'm just dipping my toes in the water, so have little experience, but I opted for scissors. Seemed pretty straightforward. Twenty years ago I used a V-cutter, and may get one again at some point.


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## jbgd825 (Aug 26, 2011)

I rarely use it but I'm a fan of the punch. I think I'll start using it more often though because my guillotine is starting to crap out after a few years use. I'll just keep a cheap one for pointed cigars and punch everything else.


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## Frodo (Oct 1, 2009)

I used to use punch cutters but too many cigars had suffered from tar build-up. Now use guillotine (Xi1) but there are others out there that have different grips and that cut as well...


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## anonobomber (Aug 29, 2011)

I used to use a guillotine cutter for everything and recently I've been using a punch cutter more. I like the feel of the cigar in my mouth more when I use a punch cutter. Tonight I wasn't able to find either...my wife swears that she didn't hide them! Ended up using a knife to make a cut similar to what a punch cutter would do and it worked out fine.


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## inphiniti (Oct 1, 2011)

CALIFORNIA KID said:


> my recommendation is this
> 
> xikar 009 punch
> 
> they show up on cigar monster for $20 pretty often


+1. i use this one myself, grabbed it off of CM for the $20 as well.
definitely worth it. although, its a little heavy on the keychain


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Palio baby there is no substitute!


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## raylol16 (Aug 4, 2011)

I use a Palio as well and it is a fantastic cutter. I tried to punch once and the draw was so tight I ended up having to cut it anyway. I haven't tried punching since but I may give it a shake. Also when I was punching I felt like I was going to mess up my cigar by how tight I was holding it so I could push the puncher in.


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## dragonhead08 (Feb 3, 2011)

Try a Cuban crafters perfect cutter. It holds the cut off tip so you can dispose it later


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## Swany (Aug 20, 2010)

I have a few punches, from the 7mm Zikar to cheap smaller ones as well, Plenty of Guillotines, my fav is the Xikar Xi3, and a couple of V cutters.

I like to punch cause its easy for me to put my finger over the hole while I light. But there are always times and certain cigars that I use different cutters for. I love a v cut on my torps and rarely even use my guillotines anymore. 

Just get one of each and play with them to see what you like best.


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## anonobomber (Aug 29, 2011)

Swany said:


> I like to punch cause its easy for me to put my finger over the hole while I light.


You could get around this by lighting first and then cutting.


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## Fuzzy (Jun 19, 2011)

Swany said:


> Just get one of each and play with them to see what you like best.


There you go, another slip down the slope. Will not hurt so bad :mrgreen:


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## deep (Mar 13, 2009)

I have become a total snob...:twitch:

I punch coronas, petite coronas, and lanceros use xikar scissors on figerados, torpedos, and everything eles gets the pallo


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

Hi Vaesa,

I like to use a punch for everything that will take to it; round heads. I use a double guillotine at about a 40* angle (Dickman cut) for pointy heads like torpedos and figurados.

Scissors work essentially like a double guillotine. The trick to both is to turn the cigar slightly before cutting. This slices into the cap and helps to remove _only _the cap, as opposed to any significant portion of binder and filler. The idea being _not _to remove any of that, but rather _only _the smallest bit of the cap. Many people make the mistake of just sticking the head into the cutter and crunching it together.

Just be sure never to cut too deeply and never remove the entire cap. That's when things get "messy".


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Lots of good advice posted here. I have used punch, guillotine, V and scissors and always fall back to my Palio guillotine.

Best advice is to get a cutter that works smoothly and is sharp as heck. Otherwise happy you will not be...


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## truckertim (Sep 17, 2011)

Personally I use a punch or the V cutter depending on the ring gauge. On smaller sizes I will use the punch, which normally covers a good part of the head and allows for a perfect clean draw. On the larger ones, I have a V cutter that will fit up to a 60 ring gauge. I like it because it takes a nice chunk out which allows for a nice full draw and leaves enough wrapper on the head to catch any tar build up or anything else I dont want coming out of the end into my pie hole. 
Best advice is pick up one of each and see which one works best for you.


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## CALIFORNIA KID (Nov 21, 2010)

So Vaesa,

What have you decided on.


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## fivespdcat (Nov 16, 2010)

I use scissors, but I do not use them as a Guillotine to slice off the cap. I use them to trim the cap to the size I want, similar to this:

Using Cigar Scissors - YouTube


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## Belligerent_Cupcake (Oct 6, 2011)

truckertim said:


> Best advice is pick up one of each and see which one works best for you.





CALIFORNIA KID said:


> So Vaesa,
> 
> What have you decided on.


So much good advice and feedback here! I found some videos of different cigar cutters and techniques and decided I definitely needed to try a punch cutter. So to the local cigar shop I went and picked up a nice-feeling bullet shaped punch. I couldn't tell you the name of it, but it seemed to be a good quality compared to my other options, and the blade was sharp. Tried it on a Blue Label today and I was quite pleased. No messy leaf getting in my mouth!

I'm definitely going to try some others as well, depending on the cigar, but I'm guessing my punch cutter will be one of my favorites.


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## Belligerent_Cupcake (Oct 6, 2011)

Swany said:


> I like to punch cause its easy for me to put my finger over the hole while I light.





anonobomber said:


> You could get around this by lighting first and then cutting.


So this is the first I'm hearing of not cutting before lighting... What is the school of thought behind this? I've only ever seen cutting, then lighting a stick, including some puffing to get it going.


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## CALIFORNIA KID (Nov 21, 2010)

they explain light and cut around the 3 min mark


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## anonobomber (Aug 29, 2011)

Also...there's no need to go out and buy a punch cutter. I have a .30-06 case with sharpened edges that works fantastic as a cutter. I'd suggest using a brand new one as a used one is going to have lead on it which isn't probably the best thing for you. Use a smaller casing if you want a smaller hole. A .223 might make a nice size hole and they're everywhere.


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## Belligerent_Cupcake (Oct 6, 2011)

Ah, now I can see some merit to that. I'll be honest though, I'll be using a butane lighter most of the time and taking the quick way out. Very interesting though.


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## Belligerent_Cupcake (Oct 6, 2011)

anonobomber said:


> Also...there's no need to go out and buy a punch cutter. I have a .30-06 case with sharpened edges that works fantastic as a cutter. I'd suggest using a brand new one as a used one is going to have lead on it which isn't probably the best thing for you. Use a smaller casing if you want a smaller hole. A .223 might make a nice size hole and they're everywhere.


So that's AWESOME...


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## totti 10 (Mar 18, 2009)

I just bite my cap off instead of using a cutter.
It helps increase my machismo and masculinity.












And also because I lost my xikar X2 cutter


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## Belligerent_Cupcake (Oct 6, 2011)

totti 10 said:


> I just bite my cap off instead of using a cutter.
> It helps increase my machismo and masculinity.
> 
> And also because I lost my xikar X2 cutter


Haha I'll keep that in mind for all of those times where I feel the need to increase my machismo and masculinity.....


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## gahdzila (Apr 29, 2010)

Vaesa,

I don't have much experience with punches or v-cutters. I tried both out a couple of times, and just didn't care for them.

I agree with you that Xikar Xi "teardrop" cutters can sometimes be a little messy. Meticulous maintenance helps with this some - clean the blades regularly with rubbing alcohol, and squirt a little graphite powder (like used on door locks, find it at any hardware store). It also helps to make the cut swiftly. Still, not the smoothest cleanest cut out there. Great cutters for what they are, and great warranty. I love the spring action even if it is nothing but bling :mrgreen: 

Palio cutters tend to cut a little cleaner than the Xikar's. Great cutters, super sharp, lifetime warranty.

My current favorite is the Xikar MTX scissor. I feel that this cutter gives me more fine precise control over the cut than anything else out there. It takes a little practice, and a little more time, but it's worth it. I usually make several very small paper thin cuts until the draw is just right. 

Scissors are a precision instrument. I use them on all parejos. But IMO, you need something with a little more brute strength for torps - I still use a guillotine for those.

All three of the above are great cutters, you can't go wrong with any of them, IMO. Which one you prefer will boil down to personal choice.


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## Steven (Aug 29, 2011)

I own mostly guillotines because I smoke a number of torpedo shaped cigars. A punch doesn't work too well on those. Never had scissor because of their bulk. I'm might grab a punch someday because I prefer a tighter draw and I sometimes over-cut with my guillotine.

If you like a tighter draw, give torpedo's a try. You can just cut less off for a tighter draw and if it's too tighter just cut again.


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## Belligerent_Cupcake (Oct 6, 2011)

gahdzila said:


> Vaesa,
> I agree with you that Xikar Xi "teardrop" cutters can sometimes be a little messy. Meticulous maintenance helps with this some - clean the blades regularly with rubbing alcohol, and squirt a little graphite powder (like used on door locks, find it at any hardware store). It also helps to make the cut swiftly.


Good advice. Does the graphite powder help reduce friction between blades?


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## CALIFORNIA KID (Nov 21, 2010)

Belligerent_Cupcake said:


> Good advice. Does the graphite powder help reduce friction between blades?


You wouldn't put it on the blades

You would put it on the hinge and any where that has friction.

If you were to put it on the blades it would get on your cigar


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## gahdzila (Apr 29, 2010)

Belligerent_Cupcake said:


> Good advice. Does the graphite powder help reduce friction between blades?


Sorry, I was typing that on my iPhone and I didn't proofread. I squirt the graphite powder into the small space around the thumb lever for the lock. It keeps the mechanism working smoothly.

Nah, you wouldn't want it on the blades....unless you like the taste of pencil lead.

Keeping the blades clean keeps them sliding smoothly. Tobacco oils from the cigar can build on the blade surfaces and make them sorta sticky.

Hope that's a little clearer!


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## max gas (Apr 11, 2011)

fivespdcat said:


> I use scissors, but I do not use them as a Guillotine to slice off the cap. I use them to trim the cap to the size I want, similar to this:
> 
> Using Cigar Scissors - YouTube


+1 on this one.

Abe got me a pair of awesome scissors from germany and they are great. it's all I'll use for the same reason he gave. if i forget to grab them, then i'll use the guillotine.


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## jbgd825 (Aug 26, 2011)

fivespdcat said:


> I use scissors, but I do not use them as a Guillotine to slice off the cap. I use them to trim the cap to the size I want, similar to this:
> 
> Using Cigar Scissors - YouTube


Thanks for posting that. I liked the idea of the scissors, and this makes them look a lot less cumbersome than a guillotine.


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## lebz (Mar 26, 2011)

I seem to punch everything these days!


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## 36Bones (Aug 18, 2011)

I just switched from a guillotine to a punch. I bought some rubber cheapo's off of Cbid to give one a try. After using it twice, I went out and bought a Xikar 007. I'll never use another guillotine.


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## Boston Smoke (Aug 31, 2011)

CALIFORNIA KID said:


> they explain light and cut around the 3 min mark


:thumb:


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## Wag (Feb 8, 2010)

Get a V cutter

*Grip It And Rip It!*​


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## NoShhhSherlock (Mar 30, 2011)

I love the punch cutter, I picked a cheap $3 one up from a local B&M a while back and it still works great. I like the look and feel of a punched cigar. When I smoke a torp I usually use a v-cut . I find myself using a guillotine cutter less then when I first started smoking cigars.


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## Belligerent_Cupcake (Oct 6, 2011)

I'm enjoying my new punch so far. It seems that I need to try a v cutter as well, from the sounds of it. No problemo. :smoke2:


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## Marlboro Cigars-cl (Feb 19, 2007)

Depends on my mood or what I am carrying.
The Palio gets used at most at home with the Xikar coming in a close 2nd.
The keychain punch gets used when I travel or for smaller RG cigars.

I have never tried a V-cut or any other type of cutter.
:cb


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## mithrilG60 (Nov 9, 2008)

Never been big on a V-cut as I find too much tar tends to pool in the V. I use a punch for everything except torpedo's or other shaped cigars, for those I have a Palio. The Visol punch is a great pickup, 3 different sized punch guages that nest together in a keyring and have an ejection plunger to push out the cap plug.


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## Belligerent_Cupcake (Oct 6, 2011)

mithrilG60 said:


> The Visol punch is a great pickup, 3 different sized punch guages that nest together in a keyring and have an ejection plunger to push out the cap plug.


That's a clever idea. I may have to look into that, considering I like my punch cutter so much.

So many options, so little opportunity to smoke!


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## gosh (Oct 17, 2011)

I used guillotines exclusively for years, and abused many a cigar with them. After one night of complaining that I destroy the ends of my cigars sometimes with my cutter and I can't seem to find one sharp enough, a friend bought me a cheap punch and I have never looked back. No more unraveling because I screwed up and took too much cap off! It's basically idiot proof, which I apparently need.

Love the scissors video! I may have to go buy a pair tomorrow and give it a try. I always assumed that if I couldn't figure out how to cut with a damn guillotine, I'd just end up destroying everything in my path with scissors, but he make it look easy!


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## Belligerent_Cupcake (Oct 6, 2011)

To be honest, I didn't know, until I saw a video of a punch, that you aren't necessarily _supposed_ to cut part of the cigar off. I didn't realize that you only need to remove enough of the cap to be able to get the draw you want. No wonder the filler was flaking off when I used the guillotines! Even without cutting past the edge of the cap, I was removing part of the cigar. Oh, the new realms of glory... :-D


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